DaysSupply

days supply best practices correct numerical value entered for dayssupply ✅ quality checks correct numerical value entered for dayssupply ensure the value entered into the dayssupply field appropriately conveys the number of days that one fill of the prescription will last the patient ensure the days supply information does not contradict the information in other fields, specifically the quantity and patient directions fields be aware that although dayssupply is an optional field in the standard, it may still be mandated by state regulations and required to be transmitted for opioid products note “days supply” and “length of therapy” are different concepts that have different uses length of therapy information (e g , “take 1 tablet by mouth one time daily for 10 days”) conveys the specific time period during which the drug regimen will be used this information is entered as part of the patient directions and is a set duration regardless of the dispense quantity in contrast, days supply conveys the length of time a single fill of the prescription will last the patient as calculated using the dispense quantity and the patient directions see sigtext specify duration of therapy for acute treatments docid rnlu6nco0ayuditfpqn for more details example if a physician writes a quantity of “40” with patient directions of “take 1 tablet by mouth four times daily,” the dayssupply field would be “10” to be consistent with the information entered in the other two fields alternatively, if a physician writes a quantity of “300 ml” with the sig “take 5 ml by mouth three times daily; take for 14 days and then discard the remainder,” the daysupply field would be 20 days, but the length of therapy would be 14 days clinical relevance/rationale the days supply value may be used by the pharmacist to double check the dispense quantity or the patient directions by using any two values to solve for the third days supply can provide useful information to the pharmacist for monitoring patients’ adherence to the prescribed regimen this information can also provide an acceptable rationale for dispensed quantities in the event of third party audits best practices for technology partners when possible, prepopulate the dayssupply field to reduce the possibility of incorrect values being entered and to shorten the time required for writing e prescriptions if the calculated days supply is not a whole number, round down to the nearest whole number best practices for prescribers omit days supply from an e prescription if the dose form is ambiguous for a medication such as a gel, cream, or ointment unless it is mandated by state regulations – e g , for opioids for non opioid products, send days supply in these cases if there is a specific dose of measurable quantity, such as separated gel packs if needed, the free text note field may be used to provide further information regarding the days supply; ensure it does not merely repeat the days supply value